Who we are

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation was established in 1961 by Ian Fairbairn as a memorial to his wife Esmée. Today it is one of the largest independent grant-making foundations in the UK.

Our history

In 1961 Ian Fairbairn, a leading City figure, decided to endow a charitable foundation with the bulk of his holdings in the company he had joined some 30 years before, M&G. M&G was a pioneer of the unit trust industry in the UK. It grew out of Ian Fairbairn’s determination that investments in equities, previously the preserve...

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Trustees

The Foundation has 10 Trustees, read their biographies here

Executive team

The Foundation has 25 members of staff read their biographies here

About us

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation aims to improve the quality of life for...

Contact us

To contact the Foundation and how to find us.

Investment information

A summary of our investment portfolio and approach

Governance

More information about the Foundation governance structure

FAQs

Frequently asked questions and answers about the Foundation.